Tape libraries for storing tape cartridges normally come in a range of standard sizes. Given constraints in space and the ever-increasing amount of data to be stored, there is a demand for storing as many tape cartridges in a tape library as possible. As each tape cartridge is stored in its own slot, maximizing the number of tape cartridges stored in a tape library may be readily achieved by minimizing the space occupied by each slot.
To minimize the space occupied by each slot, the clearance between slots, and between a tape cartridge and its slot, needs to be correspondingly reduced. Currently, there remains a limit as to how small each slot may be reduced because loading robots are commonly used to load tape cartridges into their slots. Loading robots typically comprise a support structure for supporting a tape cartridge to be loaded into a slot and a drive mechanism for pushing the tape into the slot. During loading, the tape is pushed away from the loading robot via the drive mechanism of the loading robot such that the entire tape cartridge eventually leaves the support structure and becomes fully loaded into the slot. These loading robots require adequate clearance for proper insertion of the tape cartridge through a receiving portion of each slot. Reducing the tolerance for clearance at the receiving portion of each slot would mean having to increase the performance accuracy of the loading robots, leading to increased costs of the loading robots and overall increased storage costs as a result of the required larger size of each slot.